Teenager in Spittal: campfire with brake cleaner organized!

Teenager in Spittal: campfire with brake cleaner organized!

A tragic accident occurred on April 26, 2025 in Spittal an der Drau when a 15-year-old tried to spark a campfire in the garden. Together with two friends, 14 and 13 years old, he had filled a refund fireplace for a coal grill with pieces of wood and put them on the meadow. However, the project took a dangerous turn when the wood did not burn.

In an unsuccessful attempt to ignite the fire, the 15-year-old used a can of brake cleaners. He sprayed the pieces of wood and then tried to light them with a lighter. This led to a devastating flame that hit the youngsters. While his friends remained unharmed, the 15-year-old suffered serious burns by the hand and neck and had to be taken to the LKH Klagenfurt, where he was treated.

Risks when grilling and dealing with fire

This incident tears up a big topic: the dangers of grilling and dealing with fire. Every year, between 4,000 and 5,000 accidents occur in grilling in Germany and Austria. About 10 % of these accidents result in life -threatening injuries. It is particularly worrying that a large part of the accidents affects children. [.Clankids.de] reports that the use of liquid grill gauntlets is one of the most common sources of accident and can be held responsible for around 75 % of the combustion injuries.

The dangers are reinforced by inadequate safety precautions when grilling. According to the recommendations of [.draco.de], only certified grill linnings should be used when grilling, since alcohol, petrol and alcohol are taboo. Other safety tips are to adhere to a safety distance from flammable material and never leave children unattended near the grill fire.

Burns and first aid

Burns are a serious risk of injury, especially in the summer months when many people grill outdoors. [.draco.de] explains that the dangers of burns occur not only when grilling, but also due to solar radiation and other factors. In the case of smaller burns, it is advisable to cool the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes with a hand -warm water. In the event of large -scale injuries, the emergency call 112 must be alerted immediately.

The recommended procedure for burns includes that burning clothing should not be removed, but should be pulled out soaked. In addition, flames that have arisen in an accident should be deleted by rolling on the ground, with a blanket or water.

The incident with the 15-year-old in Spittal an der Drau is an alarming example of how dangerous unbalanced actions can be in dealing with fire. Parents and supervisors are urgently warned to take all precautions to prevent similar accidents.

Further information on this incident as well as general security and first aid tips for burns can be found here: Click Carinthia,, Draco and Clean Kids.